Motorcycle sidecars have, for the most part, employed a single wheel journaled for rotation about a fixed horizontal axis which is usually aligned with the rear axle of the associated motorcycle. The frames of such sidecars are rigidly fixed to the frames of the associated motorcycles which precludes riding of the motorcycle in the usual manner inasmuch as the motorcycle cannot be leaned into a turn. Moreover, such sidecars are unstable because the weight of the passenger is forward of the sidecar wheel.
Attempts have been made to improve the stability of sidecars by moving the wheel forward of the rear wheel of the associated motorcycle. This has resulted, however, in scuffing or drag of the sidecar wheel during turning. Attempts to alleviate this problem have included the use of linkages connected between the front wheel assembly of the motorcycle and a steerable sidecar wheel. Because the front wheel of the motorcycle and the sidecar wheel have mutually different turning radii and these radii vary with changes in speed of the motorcycle it has not been possible to prevent scuffing or dragging of steerable sidecar wheels under all driving conditions.
The principal object of the present invention has been, therefore, to provide a new and improved motorcycle sidecar which enables the associated motorcycle to be driven in substantially the same manner as when the sidecar is not present, i.e., the sidecar causes little, if any, drag during turning, permits leaning of the motorcycle in the normal manner and does not cause any instability which might cause the cyclist to lose control of the motorcycle.